ModernistPOLIN Museum in Warsaw, Cracovia Hotel inKraków, NeoclassicalRaczynski Library inPoznań, RenaissanceKrasiczyn Castle,Gothic Town Hall inWrocław, and awooden church inHaczów

Thearchitecture ofPoland includes modern and historical monuments of architectural and historical importance.

Several important works of Western architecture, such as theWawel Hill, theKsiąż andMalbork castles, cityscapes ofToruń,Zamość, andKraków are located in the country. Some of them areUNESCO World Heritage Sites.^[1] Now Poland is developing modernist approaches in design with architects likeDaniel Libeskind, Karol Żurawski, and Krzysztof Ingarden.^[2]

The oldest, Pre-Romanesque buildings were built in Poland after theChristianisation of the country but only few of them still exist today (palace and church complex onOstrów Lednicki, the Rotunda of the Blessed Virgin Mary in theWawel Castle).

The Romanesque architecture was then developed in the 12th and 13th centuries. The most significant buildings are thesecond cathedral in Kraków (only parts of it still exist in the current, third, gothic cathedral, e.g. the crypt),Tum Collegiate Church,Czerwińsk abbey, collegiate churches inKruszwica andOpatów as well as the churches ofSt. Andrew in Kraków and ofBlessed Lady Mary in Inowrocław. Smaller structures were also popular, like rotundas inCieszyn andStrzelno.

Late Romanesque architecture is represented by the Cistercian abbeys inJędrzejów,Koprzywnica,Sulejów andWąchock as well as theDominican church in Sandomierz and the ruins ofLegnica castle chapel.

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  Rotunda of the Blessed Virgin Mary in theWawel Castle
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  The ruins of the palace and church complex onOstrów Lednicki
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  St. Leonard's Crypt in theKrakow Cathedral
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  Chapter house at theCistercian Abbey inWąchock
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  Collegiate Church inKruszwica
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  Collegiate Church inTum
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  Czerwińsk Abbey
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  Collegiate Church inOpatów
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  St. Andrew's Church in Kraków
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  Basilica of the Blessed Lady Mary inInowrocław
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  Rotunda inCieszyn
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  Rotunda inStrzelno
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  Sulejów Abbey
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  Dominican church inSandomierz

The first Gothic structures in Poland were built in the 13th century inSilesia. The most important churches from this time are thecathedral in Wrocław and theCollegiate Church of the Holy Cross and St Bartholomew in the same city, as well as the St Hedwig's Chapel in theCistercian nuns abbey inTrzebnica and the castle chapel inRacibórz. The Gothic architecture in Silesia was further developed in the 14th century in the series of parish churches in the most important cities of the region (churches ofSt. Mary Magdalene,St. Elizabeth,St Mary on the Sand andSt Dorothea in Wrocław,St. Nicholas' Church inBrzeg,Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslaus Church in Świdnica,Saints Peter and Paul church in Strzegom). The most important secular building of the gothic period in Silesia is theWrocław Town Hall, initially built in the13th century and enlarged and rebuilt in later centuries, mainly in the late15th century.

The 14th century is also the heyday of the Gothic in Lesser Poland, where such structures were built like the gothicWawel Cathedral inKraków, the series of basilical churches in the same city (churches ofSt. Mary,Holy Trinity,Corpus Christi andSt. Catherine) and many hall churches outside the capital city (e.g.Wiślica,Szydłów,Stopnica andSandomierz). In the same time the Greater Poland's cathedrals inPoznań andGniezno as well as theLatin Cathedral in Lviv (nowUkraine) were built.

Many Gothic structures were also built inRoyal Prussia before and after the incorporation of the region into thePolish Crown according to theSecond Peace of Thorn (1466). The most important sights are the castles of theTeutonic Order inMalbork,Gniew andRadzyń Chełmiński and the town halls and churches ofToruń (town hall, the churches ofSt. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist andSt. James the Greater),Chełmno,Pelplin,Frombork andGdańsk (town hall and churches ofSt. Mary,St. Catherine andHoly Trinity).

Late Gothic is represented by such buildings like theCollegium Maius of theJagiellonian University in Krakow or theSt. Mary's Church inPoznań and theCorpus Christi Church inBiecz. Moreover, in the 1st half of the16th centurydiamond vaults were popular, especially inMasovia (St Michael's Church inŁomża, the cloister of theSt. Anne's Church in Warsaw) and inRoyal Prussia (eg. in the aforementioned churches ofGdańsk and in theSt James’s Concathedral Basilica inOlsztyn).

There are also some examples of thepost-Gothic architecture (germ.Nachgotik [de]) from the17th century, like the choir of theSt. Hyacinth's Church in Warsaw or theBernardine monastery in Przasnysz.

In the modern Poland there are also some examples of Gothic architecture of the formerDuchy of Pomerania like theKamień Pomorski Cathedral,Szczecin Cathedral and theSt. Mary's Church in Stargard.

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  Wrocław Cathedral (1244 - ca. 1350)
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  Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross and St. Bartholomew inWrocław (1288 - ca. 1350)
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  Church of St. Mary on the Sand in Wrocław (2nd half of the 14th century)
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  Wrocław Town Hall (13th century, ca. 1470-1510)
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  Krakow Cathedral (1320–64)
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  St. Mary's Basilica in Krakow (2nd half of the 14th century)
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  St. Catherine's Church in Krakow (ca. 1340 - 15th century)
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  Collegiate Church in Wiślica (ca. 1350-70)
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  Poznań Cathedral (2nd half of the 14th century - ca. 1430)
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  Gniezno Cathedral (2nd half of the 14th century)
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  Malbork Castle (ca. 1280 - 15th century)
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  Old Town City Hall in Toruń (1393–99)
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  Church of Saint James the Greater in Toruń (1st half of the 14th century)
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  Frombork Cathedral (ca. 1330-90)
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  Gdańsk Town Hall (14th century - 15th century )
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  St. Mary's Church in Gdańsk (1379-1502)
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  Diamond vaults in the cloister of the St. Anne's Church in Warsaw (1514)
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  Courtyard of theCollegium Maius of theJagiellonian University in Krakow (ca. 1490-1540)
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  Bernardine monastery in Przasnysz (1585-1618)

TheRenaissance came to Poland as a court fashion thanks toKing Sigismund, who became acquainted with this stylistics inBuda, at the court of his Hungarian uncle. Sigismund invited Italian craftsmen from Buda toKraków, where they created the first Italian Renaissance piece in Poland, the Tomb ofJohn I Albert in theWawel Cathedral (between 1502 and 1506) and remodelled in the new manner theWawel Castle. One of the masterpieces of this time is also theSigismund's Chapel of the Wawel Cathedral.

Later, the Renaissance architecture was especially popular in the secular architecture and is represented by thecloth hall in Krakow, many town halls (e.g. inPoznań,Tarnów,Sandomierz andChełmno), town houses on the market squares (e.g. inZamość,Kazimierz Dolny,Lublin,Warsaw andLviv) and castles (e.g. theBaranów Sandomierski Castle,Krasiczyn Castle andKrzyżtopór Castle).

In religious architecture Renaissance influences are visible in theZamość Cathedral, in thechurch of St. Bartholomew and John the Baptist inKazimierz Dolny, in the Bernardine churches ofLublin andLviv (nowUkraine) as well as in many synagogues (e.g. theOld Synagogue in Krakow andZamość Synagogue). Moreover, a specific group of churches, inspired by the Romanesque tradition of the region, was built inMazovia (Płock,Pułtusk,Brochów,Brok). Late mannierism from the time of theCounter-Reformation is represented by theKalwaria Zebrzydowska calvary complex.

The Renaissance architecture in the northern cities developed under the influence of Dutch Mannierism. The most important examples are theGreat Armoury,Green Gate andOld Town City Hall in Gdańsk, as well as many town houses in Gdańsk, Toruń andElbląg (e.g.Jost von Kampen house in Elbląg).

Within the borders of modern Poland are also some important Renaissance buildings built in the lands of the thenHoly Roman Empire like thecastle in Szczecin or thecastle and thetown hall inBrzeg as well as the church inŻórawina.

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  Wawel Castle in Krakow (1507–36)
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  Kraków Cloth Hall (1556–60)
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  Poznań Town Hall (1550–60)
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  Tarnów town hall (1560–70)
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  Town houses on the market square inZamość (2nd quarter of the 17th century)
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  Town houses on the market square inKazimierz Dolny (1615)
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  Konopniców Townhouse inLublin (1575)
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  Krasiczyn Castle (1598-ca. 1620)
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  Zamość Cathedral (1587-ca. 1600)
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  Church of St. Bartholomew and John the Baptist in Kazimierz Dolny (1610–13)
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  The Old Synagogue in Krakow (ca. 1560)
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  Zamość Synagogue (1610–18)
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  St. John the Baptist and St. Roch Church inBrochów (1551–61)
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  One of the chapels in theKalwaria Zebrzydowska calvary complex
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  Great Armoury in Gdańsk (1600–05)
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  Green Gate inGdańsk (1565–68)
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  Old Town City Hall in Gdańsk (1587–95)

The early Baroque in Poland was dominated by the Roman influences (the jesuite churches inNesvizh,Krakow andLviv, as well as theCamaldolese Monastery in Kraków). In the second half of the 17th century the influences of theDutch Baroque architecture were also important thanks to theTylman van Gameren (Krasiński Palace andSt. Kazimierz Church in Warsaw,St. Anne's Church in Kraków,Royal Chapel in Gdańsk).

The most important structures of the Polish late Baroque were built in the formerEastern Borderlands, like the churches ofSt. Peter and St. Paul andSt. Johns inVilnius (nowLithuania), theSt. George's Cathedral and theDominican Church inLviv (nowUkraine) as well as theBasilian Church and Monastery in Berezwecz (nowBelarus) and theSaint Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk (now Belarus). Other key buildings of this period are thePiarists Church and theChurch of the Conversion of St. Paul in Krakow, theVisitationist Church in Warsaw, theGreater Poland's abbeys inGłogówko near Gostyń and inLąd as well as theŚwięta Lipka pilgrimage church inWarmia. Moreover, one of the most outstanding examples of Polish Baroque Jewish architecture is theGreat Synagogue in Włodawa.

The secular Baroque architecture in Poland is represented by theUjazdów Castle,Royal Castle andWilanów Palace in Warsaw,Palace of the Kraków Bishops in Kielce as well asBranicki Palace in Białystok. Other important structures are also the palaces inRadzyń Podlaski,Rogalin andRydzyna. InRoyal Prussia the most important example is theAbbot's Palace inOliwa (district of Gdańsk).

In modern Poland there are also important examples of the Baroque architecture in Silesia, which was then a part of theHabsburg monarchy. They include i.a. the main building of theUniversity of Wrocław, the ProtestantChurches of Peace in Świdnica and Jawor, the former Protestant (now Catholic)Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church in Jelenia Góra, the Cistercian monasteries inLubiąż,Krzeszów andHenryków as well as the churches byKilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer inLegnica (Church of St. John the Baptist built together withChristoph Dientzenhofer) and inLegnickie Pole.

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  Saints Peter and Paul Church inKraków (1597-1635)
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  St. Kazimierz Church in Warsaw (1688–92)
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  Royal Chapel in Gdańsk (1678–81)
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  St. Anne's Church in Kraków (1689-1703)
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  Church of St. Peter and St. Paul inVilnius, now Lithuania (1668–76)
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  Church of St. Johns in Vilnius, now Lithuania (ca. 1748)
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  St. George's Cathedral inLviv, now Ukraine (1744–62)
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  Dominican Church in Lviv, now Ukraine (1744–69)
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  Basilica on the Holy Mountain in Głogówko near Gostyń (1677–98)
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  Kraków Bishops Palace inKielce (1637–44)
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  Royal Castle inWarsaw, main facade (1614–19)
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  Royal Castle, eastern wing (1737–52)
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  Wilanów Palace in Warsaw (1677–96, 1723–29)
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  Branicki Palace inBiałystok (1728–70)

Neoclassicism dominated Polish architecture during the second half of the 18th and first third of the 19th century as a manifestation ofEnlightenment rationalism. New stylistics came from France, Italy, and partly from Germany as a reflection of general admiration only for the newly discoveredGreco-Roman antiquity. The most important structures from this period are the palacesOn the Isle andKrólikarnia in Warsaw byDomenico Merlini, theLutheran Holy Trinity Church in the same city bySzymon Bogumił Zug and thecathedral in Vilnius (nowLithuania) byWawrzyniec Gucewicz.

Late neoclassicism, which was chronologically connected with the end of theNapoleonic Wars and capture of the formerDuchy of Warsaw by the Russian Empire in 1815, was characterized by significant volumes of construction, large representative buildings, which set a new, large scale of squares and streets ofWarsaw like theSaxon Palace. The leading architect of the late neoclassicism in Poland is ItalianAntonio Corazzi. His main buildings in Warsaw includeStaszic Palace, the buildings on theBank Square and theGrand Theatre. Other important architects werePiotr Aigner (the palace and the pavilions inPuławy landscape garden,St. Alexander's Church in Warsaw,Presidential Palace) andJakub Kubicki (Belvedere Palace in Warsaw).

Apart fromCongress Poland, worth mentioning are also theRaczyński Library in Poznań (designed probably byCharles Percier andPierre-François-Léonard Fontaine) and theWybrzeże Theater in Gdańsk (after the World War II reconstructed in modern form).

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  Palace on the Isle in Warsaw (byDomenico Merlini andJohann Christian Kammsetzer, 1773–93)
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  Królikarnia in Warsaw (by Domenico Merlini, 1782–86)
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  LutheranHoly Trinity Church in Warsaw (bySzymon Bogumił Zug, 1777–82)
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  Vilnius Cathedral, now Lithuania (byWawrzyniec Gucewicz, 1777-1801)
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  Grand Theatre in Warsaw (byAntonio Corazzi, 1825–33)
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  Temple of the Sibyl inPuławy landscape garden (byPiotr Aigner, 1798-1801)
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  St. Alexander's Church in Warsaw (byPiotr Aigner, 1818–25)
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  Belvedere Palace in Warsaw (byJakub Kubicki, 1819–22)
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  Raczyński Library in Poznań (probably byCharles Percier andPierre-François-Léonard Fontaine, 1822–28)

The territory of the former Polish stateremained divided betweenPrussia (Germany),Russia, and theAustrian (Austro-Hungarian) Empire and developed unevenly.

The architecture of Kraków andGalicia at that time was oriented towards theViennese model. The experience ofVienna Ring Road was successfully applied inKraków wherePlanty Park was created. Stylistically, it was an eclecticism dominated byNeo-Gothic (Collegium Novum of theJagiellonian University) andNeo-Renaissance (Słowacki Theatre). Similar stylistics dominated also in Lviv (Lviv Opera,Lviv Polytechnic and the building of theDiet of Galicia and Lodomeria, now housing theUniversity of Lviv), Warsaw (Warsaw Polytechnic,Zachęta National Gallery of Art,Bristol Hotel) and Łódź (Izrael Poznański Palace).

In the church architecture, the most important was Neo-Gothic, promoted by architects likeJózef Pius Dziekoński (Karol Scheibler's Chapel inŁódź,St. Florian's Cathedral in Warsaw,Białystok Cathedral,Radom Cathedral),Konstanty Wojciechowski (Częstochowa Cathedral),Jan Sas-Zubrzycki (St. Joseph's Church in Krakow) andTeodor Talowski (Church of Sts. Olha and Elizabeth inLviv,Church of St. Mary inTernopil).

Apart from Polish architects, also some important German and Austrian architects were active in the partitioned Poland, e.g.Karl Friedrich Schinkel (St. Martin's Church inKrzeszowice, theKórnik Castle, the Radziwiłł Palace inAntonin),Franz Schwechten (Imperial Castle in Poznań and theLutheran Church in Łódź),Friedrich Hitzig (Kronenberg Palace in Warsaw, demolished in 1962),Theophil Hansen (House of military invalids in Lviv, now Ukraine),Heinrich von Ferstel (Lutheran Church in Bielsko Biała) andFellner & Helmer (Goetz Palace inBrzesko,Hotel George andNoble Casino in Lviv, theaters inBielsko-Biała,Cieszyn andToruń).

Within the borders of the modern Poland are also important examples built in at the timePrussian Silesia andPrussian Pomerania, like theChrobry Embankment (germ.Hakenterrasse) inSzczecin and the works ofKarl Friedrich Schinkel (town hall inKołobrzeg,Kamieniec Ząbkowicki Palace),Friedrich August Stüler (Royal Palace of Wrocław,St. Barbara's Church in Gliwice) andAlexis Langer (St. Mary's Church in Katowice,St. Michael Archangel's Church in Wrocław).

In the era of capitalism, many factory owners' villas and palaces are built, as well as numerous workers' housing estates and industrial buildings.

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  Collegium Novum of theJagiellonian University in Krakow (by Feliks Księżarski, 1873–87)
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  Juliusz Słowacki Theatre in Krakow (by Jan Zawiejski, 1891–93)
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  Lviv Opera, now Ukraine (by Zygmunt Gorgolewski, 1897-1900)
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  Warsaw Polytechnic (by Stefan Szyller, 1899-01)
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  Izrael Poznański Palace in Łódź (by Hilary Majewski and Juliusz Jung, 1888–1903)
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  Karol Scheibler's Chapel in Łódź (by Edward Lilpop, Józef Pius Dziekoński, 1885–88)
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  St. Florian's Cathedral in Warsaw (by Józef Pius Dziekoński, 1888-04)
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  St. Joseph's Church in Krakow (by Jan Sas-Zubrzycki, 1905–09)
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  Church of Sts. Olha and Elizabeth in Lviv, now Ukraine (by Teodor Talowski, 1903–11)
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  St. Martin's Church inKrzeszowice (by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, 1824–44)
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  Kórnik Castle (by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, 1843–58)
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  Nowy Sącz Town Hall (by Jan Peroś, 1897)
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  Imperial Castle in Poznań (by Franz Schwechten, 1905–10)
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  Grand Hotel Lublinianka (by Gustaw Landau, 1899)
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  Wilam Horzyca Theater in Toruń (by Fellner & Helmer, 1903–04)
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  St. Mary's Church in Katowice (by Alexis Langer, 1862–79)
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  St. Michael Archangel's Church in Wrocław (by Alexis Langer, 1862–71)
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  Chrobry Embankment (germ.Hakenterrasse) in Szczecin

Art Nouveau emerged as an attempt to abandon stylization and eclecticism, invent a new architectural style that would meet the spirit of the time. The most important centre of this style wasGalicia, where many buildings were built under the influence of theVienna Secession. The most important architects wereFranciszek Mączyński in Krakow (Palace of Art,House Under the Globe,Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus) andWładysław Sadłowski in Lviv (Lviv railway station,Lviv's Philharmonic,Industrial School). Moreover, in Krakow important are also the interiors designed byStanisław Wyspiański in the House of the Krakow Medical Society and byJózef Mehoffer in theHouse Under the Globe.

InBielsko-Biała some architects direct fromVienna were active, likeLeopold Bauer (Saint Nicholas' Cathedral, house at 51 Stojałowskiego Street) andMax Fabiani (house at 1 Barlickiego Street). Other important examples in the city include also the so-calledFrog House.

InCongress Poland the Art Nouveau is represented by e.g. the Leopold Kindermann's Villa and thePoznanski's Mausoleum in Łódź, the bank building at 47 Sienkiewicza Street in Kielce and the early-modernistEagles House in Warsaw.

Polish architects from the 1890s were also discovering folk motives. The leading figure of this trend wasStanisław Witkiewicz, the founder of theZakopane Style. Folk-inspired were also many World War I Eastern Front cemeteries in Galicia, many of them designed byDušan Jurkovič.

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  Palace of Art in Krakow (by Franciszek Mączyński, 1898)
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  House Under the Globe in Krakow (by Franciszek Mączyński and Tadeusz Stryjeński, 1904–05)
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  House Under the Globe in Kraków - interior byJózef Mehoffer
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  Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Krakow (by Franciszek Mączyński, 1907–21)
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  Lviv railway station, now Ukraine (by Władysław Sadłowski, 1899-04)
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  Lviv's Philharmonic, now Ukraine (by Władysław Sadłowski, 1905–08)
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  Saint Nicholas' Cathedral in Bielsko-Biała (by Leopold Bauer, 1909–10)
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  Frog House in Bielsko-Biała (by Emanuel Rost, 1903)
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  Leopold Kindermann's Villa in Łódź (by Gustaw Landau-Gutenteger, 1903)
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  Poznanski's Mausoleum in Łódź (by Adolf Zeligson, 1901–03)
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  Eagles House in Warsaw (by Jan Fryderyk Heurich, 1912–17)
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  Villa Oksza inZakopane (by Stanisław Witkiewicz, 1894–95)
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  Villa Pod Jedlami in Zakopane (by Stanisław Witkiewicz, 1897)
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  Chapel in Jaszczurówka, Zakopane (by Stanisław Witkiewicz, 1904–07)
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  Chapel in the World War I Eastern Front Cemetery No. 123 in Łużna – Pustki (by Dušan Jurkovič, 1915)
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  The World War I Eastern Front Cemetery 51 in Regietów (by Dušan Jurkovič, 1915)

Poland's regaining of independence marked a new era in art, wheremodern architecture developed on a large scale, in the beginning often combining achievements offunctionalism with elements of classicism. The most important architects of this period areAdolf Szyszko-Bohusz (PKO BP Building on Wielopole Street in Krakow),Marian Lalewicz (Polish Geological Institute in Warsaw, Bank Building at 50 Nowogrodzka Street in Warsaw,PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe headquarters in Targowa Street in Warsaw),Bohdan Pniewski (Patria guesthouse inKrynica-Zdrój, court at 127 Solidarności Avenue in Warsaw) andWacław Krzyżanowski (AGH University of Science and Technology,Jagiellonian Library in Krakow). Other important examples include also the buildings of the Polish Parliament (Sejm) in Warsaw and theSilesian Parliament in Katowice.

Important were also influences of the Polish folk art and the Expressionist architecture, clearly visible in the works ofJan Koszczyc Witkiewicz (e.g.Warsaw School of Economics), in the Polish pavilion atInternational Exhibition in Paris (1925) or in theSt. Roch's Church inBiałystok, as well as in the inspired by theChilehaus house at 6 Inwalidów Square in Kraków.

Examples of Polishconstructivism andinternational style include numerous housing complexes and modern residential houses built by architectsBarbara Brukalska andStanisław Brukalski (own house at 8 Niegolewskiego Street in Warsaw,WSM housing estate inŻoliborz, Warsaw),Bohdan Lachert (own house at 9Katowicka Street in Warsaw),Józef Szanajca,Helena andSzymon Syrkus (WSM housing estate inRakowiec, Warsaw) orJuliusz Żórawski (houses at 28 Puławska Street, 3 Przyjaciół Avenue and 34/36 Mickiewicza Street, Warsaw).

Construction investments took place on a larger scale in modern cities like seaportGdynia,Katowice, andStalowa Wola. The most important examples include in Gdynia the BGK housing complex as well as the buildings of theZUS and the Department of Nautical Science of theGdynia Maritime University and in Katowice the buildings of the formerSilesian Parliament and theSilesian Museum (destroyed in World War II) as well as the so-calledSkyscraper. Other early skyscrapers include thePrudential House in Warsaw.

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  PKO BP Bank Building on Wielopole Street, Kraków (by Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz, 1922–25)
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  PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe headquarters in Targowa Street in Warsaw (by Marian Lalewicz, 1928–31)
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  Jagiellonian Library in Krakow (by Wacław Krzyżanowski, 1929–39)
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  Warsaw School of Economics (by Jan Koszczyc Witkiewicz, 1926–55)
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  St. Roch's Church in Białystok (by Oskar Sosnowski, 1927–46)
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  Brukalskis' own house at 8 Niegolewskiego Street in Warsaw (by Barbara and Stanisław Brukalski, 1927–29)
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  Bohdan Lachert's own house at 9 Katowicka Street in Warsaw (by Bohdan Lachert and Józef Szanajca, 1928–29)
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  WSM housing estate inŻoliborz, Warsaw
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  WSM housing estate inRakowiec, Warsaw (by Helena and Szymon Syrkus, 1934–38)
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  House at 34/36 Mickiewicza Street in Warsaw, the so-called "Glass House" (by Juliusz Żórawski, 1938–41)
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  ZUS building inGdynia (byRoman Piotrowski, 1935–36)
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  Department of Nautical Science of theGdynia Maritime University (by Bohdan Damięcki and Tadeusz Sieczkowski, 1937–39)
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  FormerSilesian Parliament in Katowice (by Ludwik Wojtyczko, 1925–29)
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  Skyscraper in Katowice (by Tadeusz Kozłowski and Stefan Bryła, 1929–34)
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  Prudential House in Warsaw (by Marcin Weinfeld and Stefan Bryła, 1931–33)

Famous examples in modern Poland also include the works of German architects in Silesia, likeHans Poelzig (office building at 38-40 Ofiar Oświęcimskich Street and theFour Domes Pavilion in Wrocław),Max Berg (Centennial Hall in Wrocław),Dominikus Böhm (St Joseph's Church, Zabrze),Erich Mendelsohn (JewishTahara house in Olsztyn, department stores inGliwice and Wrocław) orHans Scharoun (theLedigenheim atWUWA housing estate in Wrocław).

In the formerFree City of DanzigBrick expressionist architecture gained popularity, represented by such works like the building of the health insurance company in the 27 Wałowa Street.

There are also some buildings built in theNazi Germany or during the German occupation of Poland in theGeneral Government like theRegierungspräsidium in Wrocław (now the headquarters of theLower Silesian Voivodeship Sejmik) or the Przegorzały Castle (germ.Schloss Wartenberg [de]) in Kraków.

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  Office building at 38-40 Ofiar Oświęcimskich Street in Wrocław (by Hans Poelzig, 1912–13)
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  Four Domes Pavilion in Wrocław (by Hans Poelzig, 1912–13)
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  Centennial Hall in Wrocław (by Max Berg, 1911–13)
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  St Joseph's Church in Zabrze (by Dominikus Böhm, 1930–31)
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  Tahara house in Olsztyn (by Erich Mendelsohn, 1911–12)
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  Weichmann Department Store in Gliwice (by Erich Mendelsohn, 1921–22)
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  Petersdorff Department Store in Wrocław (by Erich Mendelsohn, 1927–28)
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  Ledigenheim atWUWA housing estate in Wrocław (by Hans Scharoun, 1929)
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  FormerRegierungspräsidium (now the headquarters of theLower Silesian Voivodeship Sejmik) in Wrocław (by Felix Bräuler, Erich Böddicker, Arthur Reck, 1939–45)
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  Przegorzały Castle (germ.Schloss Wartenberg) in Kraków (by Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz, Richard Pfob, Hans Petermair, 1941–43)

Reconstruction of cities and monuments after the war had a diverse character. Valuable examples of cultural restitution can be reconstructions of the old towns inWarsaw andGdańsk. However, reconstruction of buildings in theRecovered Territories was strongly influenced by political aims of eradicating architecture perceived as German, andPrussian in particular.^[3]

After the Second World War, theavant-garde architecture was initially developed (Central Department Store in Warsaw,Okrąglak Department Store in Poznań,Central Statistical Office building in Warsaw), but in the years 1949-1956 it was interrupted by thesocialist realist period. The best examples of the so-calledStalinist neoclassicism are thePalace of Culture and Science byLev Rudnev and theMarszałkowska Dzielnica Mieszkaniowa housing estate in Warsaw as well as the planned city ofNowa Huta (initially an independent city, now part of Krakow).

After the period of the socialist realism the architects could again develop the international style. The most important sights include the Biprocemwap Building, theKijów Cinema and theCracovia Hotel in Kraków,Ściana Wschodnia [pl] in Warsaw, railway stations in Warsaw (Centralna,Ochota,Śródmieście,Powiśle,Stadion,Wschodnia),Spodek inKatowice and theChurch of Divine Mercy [pl] inKalisz.

The brutalist architecture is represented by thePlac Grunwaldzki housing estate in Wrocław, theBunkier Sztuki Gallery of Contemporary Art, theArka Pana Church and the formerHotel Forum in Kraków, the "hammer" (młotek) building at 8 Smolna Street in Warsaw, thecomplex of sanatoriums in Ustroń as well as being inspired byUnité d'habitation residential unitSuperjednostka and therailway station (demolished and partially rebuilt in 2010-12) in Katowice.

In the time of the People's Republic many new housing estates were built, some of them are distinguished by interesting architectural forms. Besides the above-mentioned Nowa Huta in Kraków and thePlac Grunwaldzki in Wrocław, also e.g. the Koło II in Warsaw by Helena and Szymon Syrkus, theOsiedle Za Żelazną Bramą [pl] in Warsaw, theFalowiec in Gdańsk, theOsiedle Tysiąclecia in Katowice as well as the housing estatesPrzyczółek Grochowski [pl] (Warsaw) andOsiedle Słowackiego (Lublin) [pl] byOskar Nikolai Hansen andZofia Garlińska-Hansen. TheChurch of the Ascension of Christ, completed inUrsynów in 1989, combines traditional contours with modern minimalism.

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  Central Department Store in Warsaw (by Zbigniew Ihnatowicz and Jerzy Romański, 1948–52)
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  Okrąglak Department Store in Poznań (by Marek Leykam, 1948–54)
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  Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw (by Lev Rudnev, 1952–55)
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  Marszałkowska Dzielnica Mieszkaniowa in Warsaw (by Stanisław Jankowski, Jan Knothe, Józef Sigalin and Zygmunt Stępiński, 1950–52)
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  Plac Centralny inNowa Huta in Krakow (by Tadeusz Ptaszycki, Janusz and Marta Ingarden et al., 1952–55)
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  Kijów Cinema (foreground) and the Cracovia Hotel (background) in Krakow (by Witold Cęckiewicz, 1960–67)
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  Warszawa Śródmieście railway station (byJerzy Sołtan, 1963)
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  Warszawa Centralna railway station (by Arseniusz Romanowicz and Piotr Szymaniak, 1972–75)
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  Spodek in Katowice (by Maciej Gintowt, Maciej Krasiński, 1964–71)
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  Bunkier Sztuki Gallery of Contemporary Art in Krakow (by Krystyna Różyska-Tołłoczko, 1959–65)
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  "Arka Pana" Church in Kraków (by Wojciech Pietrzyk, 1965–77)
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  Forum Hotel in Kraków (by Janusz Ingarden, 1978–89)
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  Superjednostka residential unit in Katowice (by Mieczysław Król, 1967–72)
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  Koło II housing estate in Warsaw (by Helena and Szymon Syrkus, 1947–50)
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  Za Żelazną Bramą housing estate in Warsaw (by Jerzy Czyż, Jan Furman, Andrzej Skopiński, Jerzy Józefowicz, Marek Bieniewski and Stanisław Furman, 1965–72)
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  Tysiąclecia housing estate in Katowice (by Henryk Buszko, Aleksander Franta, Marian Dziewoński and Tadeusz Szewczyk, 1961–82)
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  Plac Grunwaldzki housing estate in Wrocław (by Jadwiga Grabowska-Hawrylak, 1970–73)
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  Kościół pw. Wniebowstąpienia Pańskiego, 1970-1989

Among the most important contemporary polish architects are the post-modernistsMarek Budzyński (Warsaw University Library, theSupreme Court^[4]),Romuald Loegler (Centrum E housing estate in Kraków and the chapel in the Batowice Cemetery in the same city) andDariusz Kozłowski (Seminary of the Salesian Society in Krakow) as well as the neo-modernistsStefan Kuryłowicz (The Focus building in Warsaw),JEMS (Agora headquarters in Warsaw),Krzysztof Ingarden (Wyspiański Pavilion in Krakow) andZbigniew Maćków (Silver Tower Center in Wrocław). One of the recent phenomenons are also many new museums built in last years, e.g. theMuseum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw, the Museum of Taduesz Kantor in Kraków (Ośrodek Dokumentacji Sztuki Tadeusza Kantora Cricoteka [pl]), theMuseum of the Solidarity and theMuseum of the Second World War in Gdańsk as well as the concert halls, e.g.National Forum of Music in Wrocław andSzczecin Philharmonic.

After the creation of theThird Republic, starchitectsArata Isozaki (Manggha),Norman Foster (Metropolitan,Varso),Daniel Libeskind (Złota 44) andHelmut Jahn (Cosmopolitan Twarda 2/4) had their projects in Poland. Other foreign architects active in Poland areLarry Oltmanns/SOM (Rondo 1),Jürgen Mayer (Hotel Park Inn inKraków),Rainer Mahlamäki (Museum of the History of Polish Jews), Renato Rizzi (Shakespearian Theatre in Gdańsk), Riegler Riewe Architekten (Silesian Museum), Estudio Barozzi Veig Studio (Szczecin Philharmonic) andMVRDV (Bałtyk inPoznań).

In 2015,Szczecin Philharmonic was awarded theEuropean Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture.^[5]

• 
  Warsaw University Library (by Marek Budzyński and Zbigniew Badowski, 1994–98)
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  Supreme Court of Poland in Warsaw (by Marek Budzyński and Zbigniew Badowski, 1996–99)
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  Seminary of the Salesian Society in Krakow (by Dariusz Kozłowski, 1985–96)
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  The Focus building in Warsaw (by Stefan Kuryłowicz, 1998-2001)
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  Agora headquarters in Warsaw (by JEMS, 2000–02)
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  Wyspiański Pavilion in Krakow (by Krzysztof Ingarden, 2006–07)
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  POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw (by Rainer Mahlamäki, 2009–13)
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  Ośrodek Dokumentacji Sztuki Tadeusza Kantora Cricoteka [pl] in Kraków (by Wizja and nsMoonStudio, 2009–14)
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  Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk (by Kwadrat architectural studio, 2010–17)
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  Manggha Museum in Krakow (by Arata Isozaki, 1993–94)
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  Metropolitan in Warsaw (by Norman Foster, 2001–03)
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  Varso Tower in Warsaw (by Norman Foster, 2016–22)
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  Złota 44 in Warsaw (by Daniel Libeskind, 2008–13)
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  Cosmopolitan Twarda 2/4 in Warsaw (by Helmut Jahn, 2010–14)
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  Szczecin Philharmonic (by Estudio Barozzi Veiga, 2011–14)

Vernacular architecture of Poland includes many wooden Roman Catholic churches and tserkvas (Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches) in the southeasternCarpathians, some of them dating from the 14th and 15th century (eg. churches of theAssumption of Holy Mary Church in Haczów, of theSt. Michael Archangel in Dębno, of theAll Saints in Blizne and of theSt. Leonard in Lipnica Murowana). Other examples include wooden synagogues of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, however most of them were destroyed during theWorld War II.

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  Church of the Assumption of Holy Mary inHaczów
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  Lemko Greek Catholic church inKwiatoń
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  Tserkva of Mother of God inChotyniec
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  Reconstruction of thePołaniec synagogue in the Museum of Folk Architecture inSanok
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  Reconstruction of theWołpa Synagogue inBiłgoraj

• Tadeusz Dobrowolski, Sztuka polska, Warszawa 1970.
• Tadeusz Dobrowolski, Władysław Tatarkiewicz (ed.), Historia sztuki polskiej vol. I-III, Kraków 1965.
• Marek Walczak, Piotr Krasny, Stefania Kszysztofowicz-Kozakowska, Sztuka Polski, Kraków 2006.
• Adam Miłobędzki, Zarys dziejów architektury w Polsce, Warszawa 1978.
• Zygmunt Świechowski, Sztuka polska. Romanizm, Warszawa 2005.
• Szczęsny Skibiński, Katarzyna Zalewska-Lorkiewicz, Sztuka polska. Gotyk, Warszawa 2010.
• Mieczysław Zlat, Sztuka polska. Renesans i manieryzm, Warszawa 2008.
• Zbigniew Bania [et al.], Sztuka polska. Wczesny i dojrzały barok (XVII wiek), Warszawa 2013.
• Zbigniew Bania [et al.], Sztuka polska. Późny barok, rokoko, klasycyzm (XVIII wiek), Warszawa 2016.
• Jerzy Malinowski [ed.], Sztuka polska. Sztuka XIX wieku (z uzupełnieniem o sztukę Śląska i Pomorza Zachodniego), Warszawa 2016.
• Stefania Krzysztofowicz-Kozakowska, Sztuka II RP, Olszanica 2013.
• Stefania Krzysztofowicz-Kozakowska, Sztuka w czasach PRL, Olszanica 2016.
• Stefania Krzysztofowicz-Kozakowska, Sztuka od roku 1989, Olszanica 2020.
• Anna Cymer, Architektura w Polsce 1945–1989, Warszawa 2019.

• List of Polish architects
• Architecture of Warsaw
• Residential architecture in Poland
• List of tallest buildings in Poland
• Wooden synagogues of the former Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
• Vernacular architecture of the Carpathians
• Silesian architecture
• Association of Polish Architects

• Media related toArchitecture of Poland at Wikimedia Commons

• Architecture in Poland
• Polish art
• Culture of Poland

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